In recent years, it is possible to three-dimensionally observe a condition of a cumulonimbus by a weather data processing apparatus which employs a phased array weather radar (PAWR). For example, by using a volume rendering technique, an observation result of a cumulonimbus can be three-dimensionally displayed on a screen of a computer.
Here, in the observation of the cumulonimbus, it is important to observe a central part of the cumulonimbus, which is called a core (mass of raindrops) that has a highest density. By observing the condition of generation of the core, the occurrence of torrential rain, for instance, can be predicted.
In a conventional weather data processing apparatus, the weather data collected by the PAWR is processed, and the observed cumulonimbus can be displayed as a three-dimensional (3D) image on the screen of the computer. Here, in the observation of the cumulonimbus, it is preferable that not only the 3D image of the entirety of the cumulonimbus, but also the observation result of the core of the cumulonimbus can be displayed. However, it is not easy to exactly detect the core of the cumulonimbus, without requiring complex weather data processing, and to display the image of the core of the cumulonimbus, together with the 3D image of the entirety of the cumulonimbus.
This being the case, there is a demand for realizing a weather data processing apparatus which can exactly detect the core of the cumulonimbus by relatively simple weather data processing, and can display the image of the core together with the 3D image of the entirety of the cumulonimbus.